People living in a landmark flat development in a former Bristol office block say life on what was supposed to be a luxury development has become "hell".

The Lakeshore project saw the Grade II-listed former Imperial Tobacco headquarters in Hartcliffe transformed into 270 flats. Designed by former Bristol mayor George Ferguson’s architects firm Ferguson Mann, for developers Urban Splash, the redevelopment won a series of awards.

Homeowners and tenants were enticed by the promise of ultra-modern design, eco credentials including geothermal heating, and landscaping including woods and a man-made lake, complete with ducks.

But people living at Lakeshore say the building is falling into disrepair, with leaky ceilings, damp and mould, broken lifts and faulty lights are among the faults.

They say complaints to Urban Splash and management company RMG take up to three YEARS to be acted on, despite some residents paying more than £3,000 per year in maintenance fees.

Residents also claim they have experienced problems with parking on the site car park because of the introduction of a permit system and private parking company which charges anyone not displaying their permit properly.

And they say security failures mean there is vandalism, trespassing and bikes are being stolen from a supposedly secured room - near the security office.

Lakeshore resident David King said: "Both Urban Splash and RMG seem ambivalent to the issues here. Personally, I pay £250 a month in maintenance costs, and that includes security and building management.

Read More

“The problem is more that no-one seems to be listening to any of the residents and we feel the situation it just getting worse. RMG and Urban Splash take residents for granted, take their money for nothing in return.

"It gets to the point where you think, what can you do? You are paying all this money - and for what?”

The Lakeshore apartments were completed in 2012, five years after Urban Splash bought the site and after a series of delays. The company, co-founded by Tom Bloxham MBE and Jonathan Falkingham MBE, built within the existing structure of the Imperial Tobacco HQ.

The development was intended to provide luxury, eco-friendly and affordable homes to hundreds of Bristolians, with the site redeveloped alongside the regeneration of Hengrove Park, which has had £100 million of public funding allocated to it.

Chairman of Urban Splash, Tom Bloxham, at the Lakeshore developement in 2011

However, Urban Splash experienced money problems in 2008 because of a downturn in the UK property market, just after work had commenced on the Lakeshore development. Buyers who had been told they could move in in 2009 saw the completion date moved back to 2011, then 2012.

Read More

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: "I have been here since it first opened in 2012 and issues that were raised then still exist five years later."

Holes in the ceiling and water freely running through the gaps in the concrete from above (Image: Paul Gillis)

Although the resident said there were still positive aspects to living at Lakeshore, it had not delivered on many of the features it was sold on, including affordability.

"Part of them having this development was to have affordable homes and so you shouldn't be charging people expensive fees for maintenance and parking," she said.

Another resident said he wants to move out of the development but cannot, because no-one wants to buy his flat. He says the building is beset by leaks and when problems are reported, it takes up to three years before they are fixed.

“It has really taken its toll on me, medically I have been depressed," said the man, who also asked not to be named. "We are trying to sell and it took us a year to find a buyer - then he found out about the parking situation and pulled out, so we lost our buyer and our new home.

Top view looking upwards to drain in the ceiling which has been leaking, creating miniature stalagmite formations (Image: Paul Gillis)

"I am quite upset and angry about the whole thing, but I try not to show my wife, who is pregnant, because I don’t want to worry her, and with friends not being able to come over to see me, it feels very lonely.

Read More

“There are constant lift failures and security isn’t good. We have had people walking along the balcony, claiming they are residents. We are so frightened that someone is going to break in - we feel a bit victimised by it all, really. People have even come in and thrown bricks at the ducks.

Bristol Lakeshore redevelopment

"There are about 10 empty flats on our level alone and we have had four sets of neighbours since we moved in. People are moving out because they are fed up with nothing being done."

Mrs Griffiths and other residents also believe that issues stem from the way the complex was built and finished.

“It feels like they have built it on a shoe string," said Mrs Griffiths.

A view of the ceiling in a corridor that had free flowing water dripping through (Image: Paul Gillis)

"The finishing and quality are awful, an example being in my bathroom, where they used water based paint, so it just comes off if you get it wet.

Read More

“Compared to a lot of people we have been really lucky, especially as the first floors have so many mould problems.

“I can’t even describe how bad it is."

Elizabeth Griffiths is leaving the flat she rents at the Lakeshore complex (Image: Paul Gillis)

Max Smith, 27, who moved into his apartment three years ago, said: "I live on the ground floor and there is awful damp here. We had leak detection in and they said there is a pool of water underneath at least three of our apartments and the plasterboard is sat in the water, so it is sucking it up into the walls."

The source of the leak has now been identified as a neighbouring flat but Urban Splash has told Mr Smith that repairs will be RMG's responsibility.

Architect Mr Ferguson was the building's designer and lived there for a time.

He said: "I only stayed there to test out Lakeshore for a couple of months in the summer of 2012. I found it brilliant and all I can say is that Urban Splash and Ferguson Mann, with which I have had no involvement since 2012, pulled out all the stops to create a very special building and landscape that has been recognised with numerous architectural and environmental awards.

George Ferguson, former mayor of Bristol and co-founder of architects Ferguson Mann who designed the Lakeshore redevelopment

"I am sorry to hear that some people have issues with the current management but hope that it is resolved satisfactorily.”

Read More

A spokesperson from RMG said: “Together with Urban Splash we are committed to ensuring that Lakeshore is a desirable place to live, so we really are very sorry and disappointed to hear that a small number of residents have experienced building and maintenance issues.

Lakeshore luxury apartment complex (Image: Paul Gillis)

“We have reacted quickly and effectively, as and when we have been made aware of any residents’ issues; for example when work was required on a few of our residents’ bathrooms, we worked with Urban Splash, who then temporarily relocated Lakeshore residents so that work could be carried out.

Read More

"We regularly hold drop-in evenings for the community living within the building, and we liaise closely with the residents’ Steering Committee on a monthly basis to listen to and respond to any questions. From feedback at these meetings, we understand that the vast majority of residents are satisfied with how the development is managed and feel part of a friendly community.

Lakeshore luxury apartment complex (Image: Paul Gillis)

“However, issues and complaints have been raised with us and we will be working with our residents to resolve these as a matter of urgency."

Urban Splash started work on Phase 2 of the development at the Lakeshore site, building a new apartment block, late last year.